National Football League

Foote awarded $1.2M in valet scam

Published Nov. 30, 2012 12:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

A judge has awarded $1.2 million to Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Larry Foote, who says he was the victim of bogus valet contracts at Detroit-area shopping malls.

Attorney Jim Acho says Foote invested more than $400,000 with two men who claimed to have parking contracts at Somerset Collection in Troy and Twelve Oaks Mall in Novi. He says there were no such deals.

Foote, a Detroit native, filed a lawsuit in Wayne County Circuit Court. A default judgment was entered against the men, who never responded to the lawsuit. Judge Lita Popke awarded Foote more than $1 million Friday. Under Michigan law, financial damages can be tripled.

Acho says Foote is conservative with his money but was misled. The lawyer says collecting the judgment will be tough.